“IMPACT OF SENSORY LOSSES ON ATTACHMENT, COMMUNICATION, AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT” http://opi.mt.gov/PDF/dbservices/deaf.pdf This article focuses on bonding and attachment with children who have limited to no vision or hearing. As we know bonding and attachment for all children is imperative for life long development for all areas of life. This article states “The literature estimates that 75% Read more…

For many of us, we hear the concept of “dreaming” from a young age. If we are lucky, we hear from our parents, from our siblings or from other adults in our lives, that we should dream big. We are encouraged to set goals for ourselves and not doubt that we can reach them. We Read more…

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Meet Paige, she is 3, she is cheerful and easily establishes relationships with adults and children. Paige has signs of FAS, however despite Paige’s challenges she continues to learn and grow. 1. To learn more about our precious children amanda.m@chiadopt.org and jill.d@chiadopt.org 2. Texas Christian Institute; The Institute of Child Development Read more…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a “general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.” The “spectrum” has come to include all the varying sub-types that use to be individually characterized. “Autism appears to have Read more…

“I Won’t Let My Daughter With Down Syndrome Be Defined By A ‘List’” “When my daughter was diagnosed with Down syndrome, I was given a list. A list of potential features and problems to expect. This list is cold, emotionless and almost comes across as grotesque if you are reading it with fear already in Read more…

Sibling Group Adoption Why It’s So Important, Why You Should Consider It “Sibling group adoption is a powerful way to bless not only the children involved, but the children you already have in your home and yourselves as well. That’s because there is nothing so powerful, and so important than the relationships we have with Read more…

Kelsey smiles and reaches for a toy block. She stacks them high and knocks them over as she giggles to herself. With a look of pure joy on her face she isn’t thinking about what she can’t do. She isn’t sitting there complaining that she can’t just stand up and walk across the room. She Read more…

Jaden is ready to take on the world! His big brown eyes show that immediately. He was diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) – classical salt-wasting form. He is also undergoing therapy for the secondary arterial hypertension – Captopril, Furanthril. He has delayed neuropsychological development and would benefit from individual work with a psychologist. He has Read more…

Youth Are Never Too Old to Be Adopted By Cynthia Flynn and Wendy Welch “You are never too old to be adopted,” said one young woman during an interview for a recently completed study on successful adolescent adoptions. “It’s the most important thing that happened to me,” said another adoptee. “I got a family and Read more…

Asher is a very cute and lovely almost 2 year old little boy. He has a complex anomaly of the brain – agenesis of the corpus callosum, cyst in frontal/anterior interhemispheric fissure, ventriculomegaly, hydrocephalus. Due to these complex brain anomalies he has a ventricle-peritoneal shunt (VPS). Even though he has trials in his early life Read more…

About 2.5 million people in the United States have epilepsy. The incidence of epilepsy is higher in young children and older adults. About 300,000 American children under the age of 14 have epilepsy. It affects children at different ages, and in different ways. For some, it will be a temporary problem, easily controlled with medication, Read more…

About 10,380 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2015. While Cancer rates have not risen much in recent years, it remains the second leading cause of death among children. The good news is that 80% of children with cancer will survive more than Read more…

Many adopted children have learning and attention issues caused by neglect and institutionalization. New adoptive parents struggle with deciding how best to approach learning and behavioral issues that most often are rooted in processing differences. This website is an invaluable tool to be used when your child is struggling. Knowing that your child “can’t” Read more…

{abstracted from AMCSUPPORT.org} Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita is a condition that causes many joints to be stiff and crooked at birth. A newborn with Arthrogryposis lacks the normal range of motion in one or more joints. A joint that lacks normal range of motion is called a joint contracture. These joint contractures develop before birth (prenatally) Read more…

Close to 4 million children are born each year in the US. One in 5,000 will be born with an anorectal malformation. Imperforate anus and anal atresia are two common types of lower GI malformations. These conditions have no known genetic component. Like cleft lip and palate, anorectal malformations are birth defects potentially caused in some Read more…

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is commonly known as “brittle bone disease”. OI does not effect intelligence, and while there is no “cure” for OI, many children live wonderful lives with treatment. Most adults and children with OI lead productive and successful lives. They attend school, develop friendships and other relationships, have careers, raise families, participate in Read more…

A historic event took place last week. Both End’s Burning brought together delegates from 20 countries. Experts, facilitators and country hosts to discuss how we all can better serve vulnerable children with Family care as the core value of the child welfare systems. We hope this will spark awareness and change so more children will Read more…

“When you drop a glass or a plate to the ground it makes a loud crashing sound. When a window shatters a table leg breaks or when a picture falls off the wall it makes a noise. But as for your heart when that breaks it’s completely silent. You would think as it’s so important Read more…